Cardinals to host three off. linemen for visits
Mar 14, 2012, 3:24 PM | Updated: 4:54 pm
If there’s one thing we know about the Arizona Cardinals,
it’s that they need help on the offensive line.
So, in what seems like an annual rite of spring, the team
is bringing some linemen in for free agent visits,
according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com
Cards will host three
Off linemen for visits today: G Jake Scott (Ten), T
Demetrius Bell (Buf) & G/T Adam Snyder (SF)) bit.ly/xnKhvG—
Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) March
14, 2012
Scott, a guard who last
played with the Tennesee Titans, would be competition
for incumbent starter Rex Hadnot, while Bell and Snyder
could be added to replace free agents Levi Brown and
Brandon Keith.
Of the two, Bell may be the most intriguing prospect. He
is just 27-years-old, and started 30 games over the last
three seasons for the Buffalo Bills. ProFootballFocus.com ranks him as the
second-best free agent tackle, saying:
Playing under a restricted free agent tag in 2011, Bell
looked to be putting together the classic “contract
season” performance until it was curtailed by injury. To
his credit, Bell didn’t slip into poor performances of the
past in a three-game stint at the end of the season, but
is 401 snaps of true quality enough for a team to invest
in him long term? Bell was Jason Peters’ replacement after
he bolted for Philadelphia, but he was slow to repay the
Bills’ faith in him. He has taken large strides since his
first season as a starter in 2009 drastically reducing his
pressures allowed and penalties conceded through 2010 and
2011. Another big stride in 2012 would see Bell join the
league’s Top 10 left tackles. If multiple teams see that
as a real possibility Bell’s market value could rise when
free agency opens.
Snyder, on the other hand, is a seven-year veteran who has
started 69 career games, including 13 for the NFC West
champion 49ers last season. Signing him would not only
help the Cardinals improve, but also hurt a division
rival.
